How to Make a Pattern Swatch Using Illustrator

Have you ever wondered how repeating patterns are created well I have just recently been taught how to do this. It involves using illustrator and creating your own swatch with a pattern on it. Below are some examples of swatches that I have recently made.

 

Once making these swatches, you are able to fill an object and a repeating pattern will occur. Below is are examples:

 

So you are probably wondering how to create these in illustrator so I am going to show you how. It is quite easy!

Step 1: Design the imagery that you would like your pattern to consist of. I decided to have a little baby along with a bottle, soother and rattle.

Step 2: Create a box that is 3 inch x 3 inch and place your imagery on the square the way you would like. Have pieces hanging over the edge of the square so you can cut them off and place them on the other side of the square so that each swatch will interact with each other and make a better pattern.

Step 3: Before cutting your image make sure that you change all of your outlines to "Outline Stroke". To do this select your objects, then got to Object > Path > Outline Stroke.

This is where the tricky part comes in. You have to know cut the images into pieces so you can place them on all sides of the square and then when you repeat the square it will line up and create a seamless pattern. Your goal is to have a square that looks like this:

Step 4: So to start of select the rattle and copy (command C) and paste in front (command F) and then do this to the square and then move the square to the front. By right clicking Arrange > Bring to Front

Step 5: Then select both the rattle and square.

Step 6: Next you are going cut the rattle in half to do this go to Window > Pathfinder

Then you want to crop the image so that half the rattle will be left.

Step 7: After hitting the crop button you will be left with half the rattle with an invisible square around it. To get rid of this use the Direct Selection tool (White Arrow-shortcut A.) Click one of the corners and hit delete twice.

 The image to the right is what the rattle should look like when selected. Make sure that you keep the rattle on the same plane because if you move it, the two rattles won't line up properly. So move the half of the rattle to the right of the square while holding shift.

Step 8: You are going to repeat steps 4 and 5 again. Once the square is in front you want to move the square so that it is covering the other half of the rattle. To do so use the white arrow and drag the left size of the square to the right.

Select the rattle and square and repeat steps 6 and 7.


Step 9: Once you have both halves of the rattle you can delete the original rattle. Next you want to place each half of the rattle so that it lines up to the outer edge of the square. The easiest way do to this is make sure that each half of the rattle is on the square and use the Align tool to make sure they align to the left and right of the square. Window > Align

Your image should look like this when completed step 9.

Step 10: Next you are going to repeat the steps to crop the image of the baby into 4 different pieces. When completed you should have these four pieces.

Make sure before cropping you move the square so that it covers the part that you need to crop.


Step 11: Now align the pieces of the baby to the respected corners using the Align tools.

Step 12: Once this is completed select all of the objects and then drag the square into your swatch library: Window > Swathces 

Your new swatch is now in this panel. Now all you have to do is create an object and fill it will your pattern swatch.

Now that you know how to make patterns, you can have a lot of fun with it. Try to make simple patterns and then try more complex patterns.

April Greiman

     Recently I did a project on April Greiman a well known graphic designer. I had personally never heard of Greiman but after researching her design background, I have become very interested and discovered that she is quite an interesting character.

     Greiman studied at the Kansas City Art Institute where she learned the basics of design. After this she travelled to Switzerland and studied at the Basel School of Design. This is where Greiman was taught by Armin Hoffman and Wolfgang Weingart. Weingart was part of the "New Wave", which is a movement that began breaking all of the rules of design and started the post-modernist era.

Since Greiman was part of the post-mordernism era, she began to focusing on the technology that was available at the time, which was the first version of the Macintosh. Greiman was not afraid of the technology like most designers but instead embraced the digital world. This is why she is known as a pioneer of the digital world. With this said Greiman is a very unique person and created work that was very different from most designers. She explored typographic meaning and the two-dimensional space of a page to make it three-dimensional or four-dimensional, a continuum of time and space.

     Today Greiman is working at her own studio, Made in Space located in Los Angeles and has recently just completed designing her spa, Miracle Manor, located in Desert Hot Springs, California. Greiman has always been inspired by the desert and frequently uses it for inspiration. Greiman says, “The desert is its own educational vehicle. While most processes occur at an invisible or microscopic level, the desert reveals the evolution in its very existence. I felt as if, for the first time, my eyes were wide open to the process of evolution, to growth, to change.”

Blow are links to view some of Greiman's work"

Click here to visit Greiman's website

Click here to see Greiman's photography

Click here  to visit Greiman's blog

Click here to visit Greiman's studio, Made in Space

Exteme Architecture

I have always been interested in architecture my entire life. I love looking at buildings and just seeing the design of it. All of the windows, curves and angles within a building. 

Below is a video of a spectacular house that is a dome. It is amazing how the design of the house flows and follows all of the curves of the circle. I love the open space that is created and the inside of the house is just as spectacular as the outside.

The house below is so cool. I have always imagined what a house would look like upside down. I would really like to visit this house which is an exhibit located in Trassenheide, Germany. This upside down house was created by Klaudiusz Golos and Sebastion Mikuciuk. This house is clearly unliveable but is truly amazing. Some people that have visited this house have reportedly felt dizzy and disoriented. All of the main furniture of the house are accurately placed but the only difference is that everything is upside down.

Top 8 Websites you should visit

These are the Top 8 websites that I like to visit to help me when doing work and also for inspiration. They vary from package design, fonts, tutorials and logos. Basically anything that I will find useful when doing projects.

The first two websites have great examples of package design. I love to visit this site for inspiration when I am beginning a project. There are thousands of designs throughout this website that have blurbs underneath to describe a little bit about the design.

1. The Dieline

2. Lovely Package

The next set of websites are of logos. Have you ever been working on a project and need a free vector of a logo just for the design, well the two websites below have exactly that. It is so easy just to go to these websites and find the logo you are looking for and download them for free.

3. Logos

4. Brands of the World

Finding the right font for a design is always the hardest part for a designer. Below are two websites where you can find a whole bunch of typefaces. Girls Who Wears Glasses has a variety of fonts that are free while Font Diner has fonts that you have to pay for.

5. Font Diner

6. Girls Who Wear Glasses

If you are new to either Photoshop or Illustrator you may want some tutorials to help learn the programs. Below are two websites that have a variety of tutorials that are great.

7. psd tuts+

8. vector tuts+

Unique and Creative Logos

A Logo is a symbol or emblem commonly used by companies and individuals to aid and promote instant recognition. Below are some logos that are very unique and creative. They are all great examples of logos that will catch peoples attention and stand on their own and be recognized in the future.

CFO Cycling Team Logo
designed by Nadir Balcikli

This logo is very clever since the designer was able to take the letters CFO and create a bicycle. Even though you clearly see the person riding the bicycle you can still see the letters. This logo would definitely grab the attention of a person passing buy and they would remember it.

 Wiesinger Music Logo
designed by NEXQUNYX

This logo is very stylish and simple yet gets across to the viewer that the company has something to do with music. I love how the designer was able to make the "W" and "M" look like piano keys but at the same time you can still clearly see the "W" and "M". The black and white really works with the style of logo to keep it clean and sophisticated like musical instruments are.

Ant Logo
designed by Alberto William

The simplest logos are always the ones that work the best to catch peoples attention. The designer was able to take the word "ant"and make it into an actual ant. When I look at this logo I first see the word "ant" and then I actually see the object itself.

Killed Production Logo
designed by Sean Heisler

A type solution is always the best solution for logos. The way the designer has the "i" laying on its side like it has been killed is quite clever. You still read the word "killed" but it ads more to the word. I actually begin to think of a person being killed.

Pause Logo
designed by Volkan Ek?i

Again this is another excellent example of a type solution. Instead of using the letter "u"the designer uses the universal "pause" symbol. Even though the letter "u" is not used you still read the word perfectly fine.

Spartan Golf Club Logo
designed by Richard Fonteneau

This is a brilliant logo, probably one of my favourite logos that I have ever seen. I love that you initially see the Spartan but as you look closer and realize that the logo is for a Golf Club, you see the golfer. It is so clever how golfer was incorporated into the face of the Spartan.

Twins Logo
designed by Action Designer

This logo was created for two brothers that were born on the same day so Twins was a suitable name for them. I love the way that the number 2 was turned and used as the letter "N". Twins of course means two people so by using the number 2 it just emphasizes the meaning.
 

Mister Cutts Logo
designed by Tabitha Kristen

This is a very cool and clever design. The designer was able to take scissors and make it into a face. When I look at this logo I relate it to a barber shop due to the moustache created from the blades of the scissors. 

Bob's House for Dogs
designed by Staci Paul

This logo put a smile on my face when I first saw it.  I love the simple line to create the top of the house and then under it is the letter "B," to show Bob's House. If you look closer you will see that the letter "B" is actually shaped like a dogs head. I just love how the designer was able to achieve this.

The Art of Typography

While working on a project last semester on Hermann Zapf, I came across a video. I found it so interesting since Zapf walks through the art of typography. This truly shows the art and craftsmanship of calligraphy. It is amazing how Zapf can take a pencil and create such beautiful letters with one simple stroke.

Click here to see the video

A Royal Souvenir

Recently I was browsing the web and came across an article about a U.K. graphic designer that created a royal wedding souvenir, barf bags. Lydia Leith decided to design a barf bag as a joke but since she is a huge fan of royal memorabilia she thought it would be a great item to actually make.

Above are the two designs of the royal barf bag. I think that they are quite elegant but at the same time are very hilarious but are done in a subtle way. For example just below the crown at the top of the bag are the words "Throne Up". It is quite cheesy and very clever. There is also the statement, "Keep this handy on April 29, 2011" which says the date of the wedding but also adding in the purpose of the barf bag. Since the royal wedding is such a big thing across the world this is an excellent souvenir to have designed and buy.  Even though it was meant as a joke, Leith has sold a lot of these barf bags as memorable souvenirs.

Click here  to read the original article.

Click here to visit Lydia Leith's website.

15 Funny Apple Ads

Earlier I posted about the huge debate about Mac vs. PC. Here is 15 Funny Apple ads. These ads consist of just two people, an older gentleman and the other younger. There is just a white background and them so you only focus on what they are saying. Apple has a very unique, nice and funny way of showing that Macs are better then PCs. 

Making a Photo Look Antique

I recently had a photo assignment, where I had to create a retro looking photo. For this I decided that I wanted to take a picture of an old film player and then make the picture look like it had been aged for about 40 years. Since I had no idea how to create the effect in photoshop, I decided to look online for a tutorial that I would find easy enough to follow and would be able to create the effect that I wanted.

While searching I came across this great tutorial written by Steve Patterson. This tutorial was easy to follow and I was able to create the effect on the picture that I wanted to. This tutorial incorporated simple effects that were added in layers to create an overall aged look. I am familiar with photoshop but I do not know the program as well as the other adobe programs so I liked the fact that this tutorial was easy to follow. There was screen shots of photoshop so it was easy to follow, along with in depth instructions.

Below is a screenshot of what my photo looked like before and after. As you can see my original photograph is not the greatest quality but that does not matter since I have added effects to the photo to make it look a certain way.

Before

After

If you like the way this photo looks here is the link to the tutorial I used: www.photoshopessentials.com

One of the most common debates of the world...Mac vs. PC

Mac vs. PC is one of the most common debates throughout the world. I personally think that it is a personal preference and it all depends what you are going to be using your computer for. The Mac is most commonly used by designers whereas the PC is most commonly used in the business world.

Apple has a long history of being the "Designer's Computer", so they have focused on improving their handling of colours and fonts, especially when going from screen and file to print. Mac has the edge over PC on this factor, but PC has come along way. As far as graphic design is concerned there is not a real significant difference. All of the Adobe programs that are used in graphic design have platforms based for both the Mac and PC. Since the Mac is most commonly used they have developed handy tools and applications that are only available on Macs.

Although Macs have the most developed software for graphic designers, the PC has a larger variety of software and is better to use if you are interested in 3-D renderings and gaming. They have also improved the Microsoft Windows operating system, so that it is more user friendly.

Even though PC is improving the Mac still has the edge due to the ease of their operating system. They are always introducing new software that improves the users experience. The variety of applications has also helped to enable a clean workflow.

These are just a few facts about the Mac and PC but there are many more. I personally believe it all depends on the person that is using the computer. Some people are more comfortable with a Mac whereas others prefer the PC. There is not a right or wrong choice it is purely the users decision. I have used a Mac for at least 5 years now and I prefer it over a PC but that does not mean that I am against the PC. It always bothers me when someone who owns a Mac is always pushing or bothering someone that has a PC. It is their own personal choice of preference, just leave them alone an let them make their own decision.

If you are becoming a graphic designer the Mac is probably the best root to go since most people in the business are using Macs. The Mac's software is built around the graphic design field making it easier for the Graphic Design World, but that's a little bias since I am in the field.

Industrial Design

I was recently searching online about industrial design and I came across a really interesting site. The site is called Industrial Design and it has a gallery of leading creative professionals that are in this industry. Here is the link to the website http://www.industrialdesignserved.com.

As I was browsing through the site I came across a bunch of chair designs that I thought were very interesting.

This chair is called the "Tipsy Star". This is a concept of a chair that transforms into different positions, that suites the user. It allows comfortable combinations with various hight of seat and incline of the back. This chair is capable of holding these forms due to the high-tech hinges used to produce the chair. The titanium frame, hinges and poliurethane foam body is covered by durable and stretch upholstery.

I found this chair very interesting how it is capable of transforming to a position that is useful and comfortable to the user. This is a very modern piece of artwork that can also be used as a chair. I think it is so interesting how people are capable of designing such a unique concept that can be used in every day life.

The next chair that I came across is made out of cardboard and able to hold the weight of an adult. This chair was created after studying origami folding methods and 3-dimensional truss systems. This led to the development of the pyramidical structure which was iteratively prototyped to create the optimal design for the seat.

I found this cardboard chair very interesting and am amazed that it will hold an adult. It is truly astonishing that cardboard can hold the weight of an adult. Even though the chair is capable of holding a person, I don't think that many people would want to furnish their place with cardboard furniture. Although if you are a student and do not have the cash to buy furniture you could always use cardboard.

The stool below is made out of a unique series of triangles generated by an algorithm. The stool is made out of wood that is cut using a laser and then the triangles are joined together with cable-ties. Since the chairs are created using an algorithm, not one chair looks alike.

This chair is truly amazing and I would love to have one in my house. I am so amazed how little pieces of wood in the shape of triangles can create such a sturdy piece of furniture that is truly beautiful.

If you are interested in these fabulous and innovative designs visit the website i posted at the beginning of the post. You will truly be amazed.

Classroom in a Book: The Official Training Workbook from Adobe Systems

Classroom in a Book: The Official Training Workbook from Adobe Systems
(Left to Right): Photoshop CS5, Illustrator CS5, Indesign CS5 and Dreamweaver CS5

When I started my second year of graphic design, I really did not know much about the computer programs. I knew that I was going to be using Photoshop CS5, Illustrator CS5, Indesign CS5 and Dreamweaver CS5. Let's just say I had opened the programs and knew how to use the basic tools like the pen tool. Other than that I really did not know what the programs were capable of.

When I started my first day I was so scared because I knew that I would be able to come up with great ideas but I had no idea how to exicute them on the computer. Since I had no idea how to use the programs to the best of their ability, I decided to perchase books to help me out.

One of the books that I had to buy for the course was "Classroom in a Book: Adobe Indesign CS5". I found this book very helpful. It was dry at some points but I was able to read the chapters and figure out how to use the program. Since I found the Indesign book so helpful, I decided to purchase the Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver as well.

The reason I like this series of books is that they are easy to follow and you are able to learn the programs. Each book comes with a CD, which includes tutorials to learn the program. The book consists of step by step instructions on how to complete the tutorials. So you put the CD in and choose the lesson that you would like to learn and then you follow that chapter in the book. It is smart to follow the chapters in order since they build on each other and use content that you have previously learned. The chapters start off with basics of the program and then continues deeper into the program. The chapters are also broken down well that if you only wanted to learn about a certain thing, you can look in the table of contents and find what you are looking for. The books also show pictures of the tutorials so that it is easier to follow along. Tips are also included that are helpful when you are working in the program.

I have gone through most of the Indesign book and I have found it useful to reference when I forgot how to do something.

If you are interested in buying the books you can go to the nearest Chapters or visit their website: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca. The books online are usually cheaper than in the store. You can also search http://www.amazon.ca.

Sleep is for the Weak

Many people do not realize the amount of work that a graphic design student does. Most people just think that art students draw all day and don't get any homework. Are they ever WRONG! Graphic Design is probably one of the most intense programs that you could ever be in. Lets just say that, "Sleep is for the weak!" 

Since people that are not in Graphic Design do not know what it is all about, I thought I would give you a little taste of the Graphic Design world. 

When I first started this program I had no idea what I was getting into. Since I have been in the program for 2 years now, I have learned to expect the unexpected. You definitely have to learn how to multi-task and have your time well managed. There is really no time for you to slack off. Even when I do manage my time wisely I do have to stay up late just to get work finished. My body has definitely adjusted to staying up late  and waking up early. 

You may be thinking that there is no possible way that I can have that much work but are you ever wrong. It takes time to come up with concepts and once that is completed I have to finish my final artwork, which is no easy task. I have to pay attention to every little detail....what font, placement, colour, imagery, target market, etc. I have no time to waste, when I take a break I am constantly thinking of new ideas. Even when I sleep I think of ideas. It's CRAZY!!!!

Just so you have a better understanding of my work load here is a summary of what I am working on now. I have a packaging project that needs to be completely done in two weeks. This includes the branding of the product (logo/name) and a well designed package. I am also branding my own beer. In two weeks I have to have the name of my beer and a logo created. While doing this I have to be thinking about how I am going to create a package for the beer and a poster. I have to make sure that I have a theme that will be good for advertising. The logo is due in two weeks as well. On top of that I am creating a children's book that has to be a minimum of 20 pages. I am to create a story as well as illustrate the entire book. It is a very open project so I have to make sure I write a good story and illustrate in a style that works for me. The roughs are due in three weeks and then I have a month to complete the final book. That really isn't a lot of time, since it is very time consuming when doing artwork. I just want to spend all of my time on one piece to make it perfect, but I can't. These are the main projects that I have but I also have photography assignments, print tech, and client relation assignments. There is just so much and I know there is more coming. I get a project pretty much every day.

Most people are probably shocked about the amount of work that I have to do but I have learned to be  good delegator. When I don't have work I feel lost and like I should be working on things. Even though the work load is heavy I would not have it any other way because I am learning so much and am doing what I love.